French drain cost in Topeka, KS
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $570 – $2,000
- Per linear ft
- $9.55 – $33.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #186
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Topeka area: $570 to $2,000 for 60 linear ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 5% lower than the US figure. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 94.0).
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Topeka, KS, standard level
$1,000 to $1,550
About $16.50 to $26 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $530 | $830 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,000 | $1,550 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Topeka, KS
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $950 | 47% |
| Labor | $300 | $680 | $1,050 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $570 | $1,300 | $2,000 | 100% |
Why Topeka prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: construction laborers at 50%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 30%, pipelayers at 20%. Weighted together, Topeka wages are 0.97 times the national level. Labor makes up about 53% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Topeka is at 94.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $610 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 88.8: $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Topeka. The wage table below marks each row.
The best months for French drain in Topeka
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Topeka Muni Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Topeka are March through June and August through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 114 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Topeka gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 17 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.2 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.3 and 1.8 inches. The station averages about 50 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40 | 20 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 46 | 24 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 57 | 34 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 67 | 44 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 76 | 55 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 65 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 69 | 4.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 67 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 81 | 58 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 69 | 45 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 55 | 33 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 44 | 24 | 1.5 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Topeka?
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Topeka wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (level) and concrete slab lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,850 – $12,900 | −4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,700 | −5% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,100 | −5% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,300 – $4,850 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,000 – $10,000 | level |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,000 – $109,500 | −3% |
How Topeka compares
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Topeka. Wichita is the lowest at about $1,250 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 125 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KSthis page | $570 – $2,000 | $1,300 | |
| Kansas City, MO75 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +5% |
| Wichita, KS125 miles | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −4% |
| Lincoln, NE135 miles | $580 – $2,000 | $1,300 | +1% |
| Joplin, MO150 miles | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +2% |
| Omaha, NE155 miles | $590 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +4% |
| Kansas (statewide) | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −2% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | +5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Topeka ranks #186 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Topeka is 2% above the Kansas figure.
Elsewhere in Kansas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita, KS | 308,570 jobs | $550 – $1,900 | $1,250 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Topeka against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −8% |
| Tyler, TX | 115,220 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −8% |
| Longview, TX | 118,060 jobs | $520 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −9% |
| Charlottesville, VA | 114,780 jobs | $580 – $2,050 | $1,300 | +2% |
French drain: what moves the price in Topeka
Where the water goes
A sump pump adds $500-$1,800 and a dry well $50-$3,000+. Discharging to a storm drain can mean extra permit fees.
Depth and soil
Rocky or clay soil and long trenches raise excavation time.
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
Topeka: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Topeka. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$570 to $1,150
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,000 to $1,550
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,450 to $2,000
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $290 – $570 | $500 – $790 | $720 – $1,000 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $570 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,550 | $1,450 – $2,000 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,300 | $2,000 – $3,150 | $2,850 – $4,000 |
Who does the work: Topeka trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Topeka the blend is 0.97.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $22.15 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.78 and $23.66 an hour. BLS counts 810 of them working in the area, 70.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $27.29 an hour, 5% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.57 and $31.36 an hour. About 530 work in the metro. That is 45.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Topeka metro, so we used the Kansas statewide median: $22.78 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.71 and $23.43 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $25 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $70. That is a swing of roughly 5.3% to 1.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Topeka has 115,750 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 188th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.78 | $22.15 | $23.66 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.57 | $27.29 | $31.36 | $28.78 | 0.95 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $21.71 | $22.78 | $23.43 | $23.56 | 0.97 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.97 | |||||
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French drain in Topeka: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Topeka?
For 60 linear ft, expect $570 to $2,000 in the Topeka area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,000 to $1,550. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Topeka?
About $9.55 to $33.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $35.
+Is French drain cheaper in Topeka or Kansas City?
Kansas City is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,350, which is 5% more than Topeka ($1,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Topeka?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $680 out of $1,300. Materials are 47% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Topeka?
$570 to $2,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Topeka?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Topeka area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Topeka expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Kansas?
Topeka is 2% above the Kansas statewide estimate ($1,250 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Kansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Topeka?
The BLS median is $22.15 an hour in the Topeka area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.78 to $23.66.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Topeka?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $570 to $1,150 and premium work $1,450 to $2,000. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Topeka?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and August through November. March and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
French drain near Topeka
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a French Drain Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split (44% labor, 48% materials). It is a category average, not a French-drain figure, so the materials line here is a rough one.